doing us any harm, but only that he
wanted to get himself and Mrs. Nosnibor's younger daughter out of the
country. As for there having been anything supernatural about the
balloon, she will have none of it; she says that it was some machine
which he knew how to make, but which we have lost the art of making, as
we have of many another.

"This is what she says amongst ourselves, but in public she confirms all
that the Musical Bank Managers say about him. She is afraid of them. You
know, perhaps, that Professor Hanky, whose name I see on your permit,
tried to burn her alive?"

"Thank heaven!" thought my father, "that I am Panky;" but aloud he said,
"Oh, horrible! horrible! I cannot believe this even of Hanky."

"He denies it, and we say we believe him; he was most kind and attentive
to my mother during all the rest of her stay in Bridgeford. He and she
parted excellent friends, but I know what she thinks. I shall be sure to
see him while he is in Sunch'ston, I shall have to be civil to him but it
makes me sick to think of it."

"When shall you see him?" said my father, who was alarmed at learning
that Hanky and the Ranger were likely to meet. Who could tell but that
he might see Panky too?

"I have been away from home a fortnight, and shall not be back till late
on Saturday night. I do not suppose I shall see him before Sunday."

"That will do," thought my father, who at that moment deemed that nothing
would matter to him much when Sunday was over. Then, turning to the
Ranger, he said, "I gather, then, that your mother does not think so
badly of the Sunchild after all?"

"She laughs at him sometimes, but if any of us boys and girls say a word
against him we get snapped up directly. My mother turns every one round
her finger. Her word is law in Sunch'ston; every one obeys her; she has
faced more than one mob, and quelled them when my father could not do
so."

"I can believe all you say of her. What other children has she besides
yourself?"

"We are four sons, of whom the youngest is now fourteen, and three
daughters."

"May all health and happiness attend her and you, and all of you,
henceforth and for ever," and my father involuntarily bared his head as
he spoke.

"Sir," said the youth, impressed by the fervency of my father's manner,
"I thank you, but you do not talk as Bridgeford Professors generally do,
so far as I have seen or heard them. Why do you wish us all well so very
heartily? Is i